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It’s Official, Sting Signs Deal With WWE

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Credit the Source to: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Sting has indeed signed a deal with WWE. There’s no word yet on details regarding what role he will play but he is scheduled to be on TV, but not right away.

It’s said that the deal has been close to being done for a while but now it has been signed. Sting’s assumption was that he would work with The Undertaker, which many expected, but that’s up in the air with Taker’s future now in question.

The deal includes Sting being on television, but whether that’s as a regular character or just to build for one match at next year’s WrestleMania, that isn’t clear. He obviously won’t be a full-time wrestler.

Wrestling News 4/11/14: No More “PPV’s”?, JR Talks Nancy Grace, Merriman News, And More

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– There is no heat on Vickie Guerrero for finishing up with WWE this past week. She just wanted to move into the regular world.

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– WWE is dropping the term “pay-per-view.” From now on, the monthly Sunday shows are being called “special events.”

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– As noted, WWE Main Event on Ion is no more as the contract expired and the show will be airing exclusively on the WWE Network now. The lack of renewal doesn’t mean a lot because the $100,000 (ballpark figure) per week WWE was getting for the show wasn’t as important to their bottom line, at a time where they expect profits to rise greatly from the RAW and SmackDown TV rights and the Network.

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– WWE stock continues to plummet. As of this writing, the stock is down another 6.51%, and is down 21% since the company announced this past Monday that the WWE Network has 667,287 subscribers.

– InvestorPlace.com has an article here stating that WWE has little choice but to pursue “a sale to a larger rival.” The article noted that quality earning for the stock have been poor, as have the profit margins. It also added that diehard fans seem to be losing interest in the product.

– Global private investment research firm Lemelson Capital, LLC, issued a press release today reiterating its “sell” position on WWE stock. The firm believes that the stock is overvalued and will continue to slide. They believe that fair value for the stock is $8.25 to $11.88 “based on the company’s current revenue, profitability and other company and industry factors and trends.”

“WWE is facing multiple challenging factors, including an inflated trading value and negative trends in its historical growth, suggesting that the downward slide in the stock may continue,” said Father Emmanuel Lemelson, the firm’s Investment Manager.

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– As of this writing, #CancelNancyGrace is one of the top trends on Twitter. As noted yesterday, Grace ran a segment yesterday on the death of the Ultimate Warrior. Grace spoke about wrestlers dying of steroids and illegal drugs, and while she was discussing it, a list of wrestlers who died young was shown which included Owen Hart, whose death was not drug related at all.

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– Jim Ross posted his latest blog earlier today at this link, and discussed the recent comments by Grace. He wrote:

The polarizing Nancy Grace of HLN really was made to look ill informed and poorly prepared by her staff Wednesday night on her report of the death of the Ultimate Warrior. So much erroneous info was reported as fact that I actually felt bad for her. I’d like to believe that Ms Grace is not a mean person but she let down by her producers and research people notwithstanding those who wrote her script for her teleprompter.
For Ms Grace to implicate Owen Hart into any drug or steroid scandal is egregious and appalling…

Ms Grace was made to look incompetent by her own people who seemingly relied on old info for the thrust of their story on Warrior and apparently did little new research on the sports entertainment world as it exists today.

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Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Representatives from Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio, Toronto and Philadelphia were in New Orleans this past week to meet with WWE officials.
Columbus pitched the idea of holding a WrestleMania at Ohio Stadium, which holds 102,329 for football, meaning WWE could break the all-time attendance record. That record may be broken even earlier if 2015 is at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

The cities above were likely interested in 2018 since Santa Clara, CA, is booked for 2015 and Dallas Cowboys Stadium is expected for 2016. Nothing is final for 2017 but Orlando is supposed to be the favorite.

Subscribe to The Wrestling Observer by clicking here. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus history pieces. New subscribers can also receive free classic issues.

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Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

– As of this afternoon, Christian still has not been cleared to wrestle. There is a lot of concern over his future.

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– WWE’s Scooby-Doo: WrestleMania Mystery was the #7 best-selling DVD and #11 best-selling Blu-ray in its first week of being released.

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– While WWE made the decision not to renew Ezekiel Jackson’s contract this month, word is that they will not be doing a lot of cutting, outside of developmental talents and disciplinary incidents. Instead, guys who aren’t used that reach an age where they don’t see future upside in them, their contracts may not be renewed.

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Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

– As noted, WWE has signed former NFL star Shawne Merriman to a deal. The idea is to bring him up similar to how WCW brought up Steve “Mongo” McMichael.

WWE is looking at training Merriman as an announcer, put him on TV while he’s also training to be a wrestler, and then transition into being a wrestler when he’s good enough.

There is a renewed interest within WWE when it comes to signing NFL players who are still young but their football careers are over.

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– Late at night on April 2nd, during WrestleMania week in New Orleans, Damien Sandow was going up to homeless people and handing them all $10 bills. It wasn’t something he was doing for publicity since almost nobody was around.

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– WWE will be doing more live WWE Network shows from Los Angeles during SummerSlam weekend, similar to how they did with WrestleMania XXX.

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– After Bo Dallas and Adam Rose come up to WWE’s main roster, the next NXT stars in line to come up are Sami Zayn and NXT Tag Team Champions The Ascension.

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Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

– CM Punk is being advertised as a guest on an episode of “Maron” on IFC with comedian Mark Maron. The new season starts in May.

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– There is talk of doing a three-way women’s tryout camp at the WWE Performance Center in June.

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– WWE officials have been talking about possibly repackaging Tyson Kidd.

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– The Ultimate Warrior’s theme song was played during Wednesday’s Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers game in Los Angeles.

In a related note, the Cleveland Indians have been using Daniel Bryan’s version of “Flight of the Valkyries”, which switches from their use of John Cena’s theme from last season.

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– Hornswoggle will be billed as Dylan “Hornswoggle” Postl in the WWE Studios’ Leprechaun reboot that comes out later this year.

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– Party City presented Make-A-Wish with a check for $300,000 at WrestleMania XXX Axxess in New Orleans last week. The check was presented to Make-A-Wish representatives and 31 Wish Kids. In the past three years, WWE and Part City have raised nearly $750,000.

TNA Impact Wrestling Results 4/10/14: NEW TNA World Heavyweight Champion Crowned!

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Credit the source to: Ed Boston

TNA iMPACT Results 4/10/14

#WrathofDixie is how we were left hanging last week and the preview of this week’s show said the same thing.

Dixie shown walking in the arena and says she has a lot to say, just not now.

MVP announces that Samoa Joe had informed the TNA office that he wasn’t available for the ten man TNA Gauntlet Match and that the match starts NOW!

TNA GAUNTLET MATCH

First In the Ring: James Storm
Next: Gunner

These two former partners go at it in the aisle even before Gunner reaches the ring. These two will compete against each other for 2 minutes before the next competitor enters, until all 10 men have joined the match. Elimination is over the top rope and feet hitting the floor.

Next: Bobby Rude

Roode and Storm work together against Gunner. These two former partners are totally focused on putting Gunner out of the ring when we hear the next intro music.

Next in: Bully Ray

Storm and Roode continue to work together on Bully Ray until Bully nails them both with a huge double clothesline. Now it’s Gunner and Bully Ray’s turn to work together.

Next Competitor: Ethan Carter III

Announcers mention that Kurt Angle tweeted today that EC3 should be looking over his shoulder and that you never know where Angle will be. Still no one has been eliminated.

Now its: Bobby Lashley

Lashley focuses at first on Bobby Roode. After that, the 3 “faces” face off against the 3 heels even though this is an every man for himself match.

Next Up: Abyss

As Bully and Lashley are about to eliminate Abyss, Magnus makes an appearance and heads to the announce table as we go to our first break.

Entered during the break: Sanada

Magnus at the announce table and …..

Next out: Eric Young

Finally it’s: Willow

They continue to refer to Willow as the alter ego of Jeff Hardy instead of letting the Willow persona go on it’s own.

Rockstar Spud is out in a wheelchair. As Willow is about to suplex EC3 out of the ring, Spud gets out of the chair and pulls Willow to the floor.

1st Eliminated: Willow

2nd Elimination is: Sanada by Abyss

After a super kick from Storm, Roode puts Lashley out.

Bully Ray takes out Bobby Roode for the next elimination

Roode from the outside and EC3 from inside the ring eliminate Bully Ray.

Storm takes out Gunner after a super kick.

EY is nearly eliminated but holds on flips EC3 out of the ring.

Down to 3 – Storm, EY and Abyss.

Young takes control of both Storm and Abyss until Storm takes control back. After a few awesome moves by Storm, EY surprises Storm and the Cowboy is eliminated.

It’s Abyss vs. Eric Young in the final two. The two go at a for a couple of minutes until they both nearly hit the floor. EY then eliminates the monster Abyss with a clothesline over the top rope.

ERIC YOUNG WINS THE MATCH!

EY then calls out MVP for a special request.

After the break, MVP comes out and EY says that even though his arm is hurt, he’s been waiting 10 years for a title match and wants it tonight.

MVP says to Magnus, who is still at the announce table, that Magnus needs to go to his private locker room and suit up because Magnus will be facing Eric Young. Magnus is cocky about “Magnus Rules” but MVP says no Magnus Rules and that Abyss is banned from the ring. Anyone else who interferes in the match will be fired.

In the back, Dixie enters and Spud (with no wheelchair) welcomes his “queen” back. Dixie reminds Spud that he sold out to MVP and walks out to find MVP. Willow comes in the room and trashes the place.

Knockouts match in up next.

Match to determine the Number 1 contender for the Knockouts Title:

Gail Kim vs Brittany vs Angelina Love vs ODB

The only intro we see is the Beautiful People with Velvet Sky accompanying Angelina to the ring. Tenay mentions that Love is a record tying 5 time Knockout Champion, just like Madison Rayne, but Angelina hasn’t held the title since 2010. This match is first pin or submission gets the win. ODB this thrown to the floor leaving the other three to square off. They are certainly showing that each is out only for themselves. As Brittany is about to be pinned ODB comes back to the ring to break it up and she takes control of Love and Kim as Brittany is on the outside. All 4 competitors take their turn in control of the match. Gail Kim is at the ropes and Velvet Sky sprays perfume in Kim’s eyes and Angelina rolls Kim up for the win.

Winner and Number 1 contender for the Knockout’s Title: Angelina Love

MVP in the back when Dixie walks in. They bicker back and forth until Dixie says she’s there to handle the one disgruntled wrestler who caused this mess and “invites” MVP to sit in the front row while she chews the disgruntled wrestler up and spits him out so that MVP will know how it feels when she does it to him.

MVP says I’ll bring the popcorn.

Back from the break, The Wolves walk in and sees that Robbie is not with the Bro Mans. Robbie has had plane issues and isn’t there. After saying that TNA travel confirmed the travel issue, MVP notices both belts there and says there will be a match for the tag team belts. Robbie has until bell time to get there or Zema takes his place.

Dixie is on her way to the ring and wastes no time calling out Bully Ray.

Don’t forget the hashtag #WrathofDixie.

Crowd is chanting We Want Tables and then We Don’t Like You to Dixie.

Bully reminds Dixie that she didn’t show up to their last meeting. She interrupts and says it was Bobby Roode who suckered in Bully and then put Bully through not 1, not 2, but 3 tables last week.

Dixie wants to know why Bully double crossed her and caused her to lose control of her company. Bully says it’s never been her company but belongs to the fans. Dixie keeps up about her company and Bully says that whether the fans and the people in the back like him or hate him they respect him.

Bully is about to say, Do you know…. when Dixie grabs his mic and says do you know who I am, I’m Dixie Carter and I’m still your boss then slaps him. Bully backs her up when Bobby Roode attacks Bully from behind.

Dixie tells Roode to get a table which he does. Bully comes back and is about to put Roode through the table with a Bully bomb but Roode escapes, leaving Bully in the ring with Dixie and a table.

Taz reminds us that Bully has put a woman through a table in the past as we go to break.

Back from the break, Dixie is in the back and Magnus is asking why she hasn’t given him any attention. She was there for one reason and it wasn’t him. She reminds him that he told EC3 that he didn’t need Dixie so good luck tonight ON HIS OWN.

World Tag Team Title Match: The Bro Mans vs The Wolves

The Wolves are out first and then it’s announced that it’s DJ Z and Jesse Goddard to defend the belts. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards work well together to start the match but Zema and Goddard come back. The Wolves show excellent teamwork but DJ Z shows a surprising lack of ring rust and holds his own. Richards nails Jesse with a missile drop kick and then moves when Zema tries to hit Richards and actually hits Goddard. It looks like The Wolves are going to get the win when Robbie comes out from the back in full wrestling gear and gets The Bro Mans disqualified.

Winners of the match by DQ: The Wolves – however the titles don’t change hands.

Christy Hemme calls out Samuel Shaw to talk about her Tweet about commitment. Christy tells the crowd that he is not a creepy bastard. She says things are complicated and that Samuel is just misunderstood.

Shaw says he is glad that she has seen the light. Christy asks if he will do anything for her or go anywhere he asks in a very seductive manner. She says close your eyes and “feel” me.

Shaw closes his eyes as we see a psychiatric services van arrive and Mr Anderson gets out comes to the ring and lays the Creepy Bastard out. Anderson grabs Shaw and the mic and says the commitment that Christy was talking about was a commitment to the funny farm.

Anderson throws Shaw out of the ring and the crowd sings – goodbye. Anderson throws Shaw in the back of the van, but the Creepy Bastard escapes.

World Heavyweight Title match is next.

Back from the break, Willow challenges Spud and EC3 to a handicapped match next week.

Out first the championship match is Eric Young. They show video of how EY tweaked his right arm eliminating Abyss during the 10 man elimination match earlier tonight.

The champ, Magnus is out next and Tenay reminds us that no one can help Magnus.

World Heavyweight Title Match: Magnus vs Eric Young

This match was supposed to be at Sacrifice, but EY asked for it tonight. Both Tenay and Taz question whether or not it was a good idea for EY to do what he did, especially with the injured arm. The injury doesn’t keep EY from his normal reckless style, but that backfires and Magnus throws him shoulder first into the steel steps as we go to break. Magnus continues to take advantage of the impact of the visit EY took with the steel steps, and the obviously injured and weakened EY is in serious trouble especially after a draining camel clutch. EY seems to get a 2nd wind and goes high risk with a flying elbow of the top rope. Magnus barely kicks out and then Magnus gets a near fall on EY with a driver. Magnus brings the belt in the ring but uses it to distract the referee and hits EY with a low blow. EY kicks out at the last second.

After several near falls from each superstar, EY hits Magnus with a devastating pile driver and gets the 1-2-3, and we have a new World Heavyweight Champion.

Winner of the match and new Heavyweight Champion of the World – Eric Young.

The crowd goes nuts as Jeremy Borash announces the new World Champion. Taz says Young did the unthinkable and Tenay says, “What a moment April 10, 2014 Eric Young crowned TNA World Heavyweight Champion – Damn he did it”.

NXT Results 4/10/14

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WWE NXT April 10th Results:

* Adam Rose came out with his party crew again. He defeated Danny Burch.

* Bayley defeated Sasha Banks.

* Mojo Rawley returns to action and defeated Sylvester Lefort. The crowd went nuts for Mojo. After the match, Brodus Clay came out and slammed Lefort.

– Brodus stays in the ring and calls out NXT Champion Adrian Neville. Neville comes out. They cut promos on each other and Brodus leaves the ring while Neville stands his ground.

– Neville wants fans to turn their backs on Bo Dallas when he comes out for his “occupy NXT” segment. This gets a “yes!” chant going in the crowd. Bo comes out and talks trash about Daniel Bryan’s “occupy RAW” angle. He wants the fans to “occupy NXT” but the crowd turns their backs on him. General Manager JBL comes out and says Bo won’t get a title shot but since he’s ready to fight, he’s got a match with Justin Gabriel.

* Bo Dallas defeated Justin Gabriel.

WWE Superstars Results for 4/10/14

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WWE Superstars Results (Taped 4/7/14)
Airing 4/10/14

* Ryback (w/Curtis Axel) defeated Dolph Ziggler in a lengthy match. Crowd was superhot as Ryback finished Ziggler off with Shellshock.

* Titus O’Neil defeated Kofi Kingston.

Cody Rhodes & DDP Respond to Nancy Grace Piece; Cody Calls Her A Sweathog

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Diamond Dallas Page issued the following statement today in regards to his appearance on Nancy Grace last night:

I went on Nancy Grace last night expecting to discuss Warrior the man. Had I known the only topic discussed would be steroids I would not have participated. At the time I was also unaware of the list that was shown to the viewing audience. To imply that all of the wrestlers on that list died from steroids was wrong and for that they owe the families an apology. Again, my only intention was to discuss Warrior the man and share some stories about how dedicated he was to the wrestling business. I am saddened that was not what happened and my thoughts remain with his family.
DDP.

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– Cody Rhodes tweeted the following about Nancy Grace after her latest rants on wrestlers:

“Why are folks surprised by @NancyGraceHLN ?? She got dumped by a pro-wrestler in the 80s’ and started a life quest to be just awful… …if she was remotely confident in her accusations, she’d interview an active talent, yet she won’t do that because she’d have a “Mark Cuban/Skip Bayless” situation, and she would come-off as the ignorant sweathog she actually is.

Sting Releases Statement on Warrior’s Passing; Includes Rare Photo

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Sting posted the following on his Facebook this morning:

“Mourning the loss of Jim Hellwig. I don’t believe anyone has ever published this picture before today. The snapshot was taken two days before Thanksgiving in 1985, as we prepared to leave my house in Newhall, California and embark on a career in wrestling.

Jim always challenged me to strive at being the best, and I’ll forever be grateful for the encouragement and motivation he provided.

I was looking forward to catching up with him, and I’m saddened we didn’t have that opportunity before he passed. My heart goes out to his wife Dana and their two daughters, and they will remain in my prayers.”

He also posted this photo on his Twitter:

View image on Twitter

More Comments on Warrior From Vince McMahon, Sean Waltman, Hulk Hogan

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– The Associate Press has an article about The Ultimate Warrior’s untimely passing at this link. During the article, Triple H noted that Vince McMahon told Warrior a couple of days ago, “I’ve always loved you. Sometimes, I didn’t like you, but I always loved you.”

In a related note, it was Triple H that informed the WWE talents of The Ultimate Warrior’s passing. Warrior’s death had Vince really shaken up.

Sean Waltman was also interviewed for the story, who noted that Warrior didn’t look to be in the best of health at last Saturday’s WWE Hall of Fame. “I got a sense he wasn’t well,” Waltman said. “It was sad to me. He was kind of hunched over. He used to have such great posture. You just had this sense that he wasn’t well. But he was in great spirits. He came up to (other wrestlers) and gave them hugs.”

– Hulk Hogan tweeted the following last night:

“Got in the gym tonight and got my head right, rededicated myself to getting in Warrior shape just out of total respect for Warriors legacy HH”

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